The sweeping tax legislation passed this summer introduced a potentially valuable deduction for tipped employees working across many categories of service business. With the IRS releasing detailed regulations in September 2025, service business owners and their tipped employees can now take advantage of this opportunity—if they qualify and can navigate the complex rules.
The deduction allows up to $25,000 in qualified tip income per tax return, but phases out at higher income levels: $150,000 for single filers and $300,000 for joint filers.
Real-World Example: Here's what your restaurant server may ask you about. Let’s say they earn $45,000 annually ($25,000 wages, $20,000 qualifying tips). Under this new tax law, they could deduct the full $20,000, potentially saving $3,000-5,000 in federal taxes: essentially delivering your employees a significant pay bump at no cost to you.
What This Means for You: Higher-earning employees may see reduced benefits due to income limits—communicate these thresholds when discussing the deduction with your team.
Let’s say you own a high-end cocktail bar in Manhattan where your top bartender earns $160,000 in annual income (including tips). Since they’re over the $150,000 threshold, they'll start losing the deduction benefit, while your newer servers earning less will see the full savings. This could create questions about scheduling and tip distribution that you'll need to address.
Not all tips qualify for this deduction, and the distinctions will require operational changes for many businesses.
Key Disqualifiers:
● Automatic service charges (like mandatory 18% gratuities for large parties)
● Non-voluntary payments - Any amount that customers are required to pay or negotiate
What Qualifies:
● Cash, credit cards, and most electronic payments
● Voluntary tips from customers
● Tips distributed through approved tip pools
Service business owners should review existing current tip policies immediately. Consider restructuring automatic charges as optional tips to benefit employees, while ensuring wage law compliance.
Not every employee in a service business will benefit from this new rule. The deduction is limited to workers who receive tips directly from customers as part of their regular compensation. Typical examples include:
Importantly, employees who earn primarily through wages, commissions, or mandatory service charges do not qualify. The deduction also excludes managers and back-office employees who are not customarily tipped, even if they occasionally receive gratuities. Business owners should carefully review job roles and tip practices to confirm which workers are eligible. We encourage you to review the latest IRS guidance here or consult your CPA.
It's important to remember what this deduction doesn't change: payroll taxes. This deduction only affects income taxes—employees and employers still pay full Medicare and Social Security taxes on all tip income.
Real-World Example: If your salon employee claims a $15,000 tip deduction, they may save several thousand dollars in income taxes. But they (and you, as the employer) must still pay 7.65% in payroll taxes on that $15,000—about $1,148 each.
What This Means for You: Don't expect payroll cost savings. The benefit is purely income tax reduction for employees—prepare them for this reality and ensure that your payroll system is set up to handle this complexity.
The IRS is rolling out new forms and guidance for 2025, though many details remain unclear. Employers should expect updated W-2 forms and additional schedules for employees claiming the deduction, along with other reporting adjustments.
The IRS also recognizes that many businesses don’t currently separate tip and non-tip income, and has promised transition guidance to help with this shift. You should start planning now for payroll system changes, but rest assured knowing you’ll have time to adapt your processes as the IRS issues further instructions.
This deduction offers substantial benefits for qualifying tipped workers, and smart business owners are positioning themselves to help their employees take advantage of it.
Key Planning Areas:
What This Means for You: Focus on implementing solutions that help your employees qualify for and claim this valuable deduction while keeping your operations compliant.
This new deduction offers real tax savings for qualifying tipped workers, and the rules are now clear enough to act on. Service business owners can help their employees capture significant savings by understanding qualification requirements and making necessary operational adjustments.
The intersection of tip qualification rules and new reporting requirements requires careful navigation. At Revonary, we translate complex tax changes into practical business strategies. Don't let complexity cause you to miss potential savings. Contact Revonary today: we'll help you determine which employees qualify, adapt payroll processes, and capture savings during this short window.
Note: The IRS comment period ends October 23, 2025, and rules may change before final implementation. To submit a comment on the proposed regulations, visit regulations.gov